Never Again

Green tea..

You have probably heard of all the many possible wonderful benefits of drinking green tea. Green tea increases the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories. Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage. Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart disease. It's also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions. Regular consumption of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers. Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases. Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.

When I googled benefits of green tea, this laundry list is what I found. Pretty impressive right? Recently I discovered a recipe from Dr. Oz for a metabolism boosting green tea drink and decided to try it. It called for 8 cups of green tea, 1 sliced tangerine, and some mint leaves. The tea was steeped for five minutes and then the orange slices (couldn't find a tangerine) and mint leaves and stirred. I let it sit overnight in the fridge. When I poured a glass the next morning (Friday) I added one pack of Splenda and some ice. It smelled like orange juice. Without the Splenda, it tastes like odd bland water with a hint of mint at the end. With just one pack of Splenda, the flavor was dramatically changed. The bland water flavor went away, a stronger orange flavor emerged, and obviously, it was sweeter. For maximum result, you're supposed to drink the whole pitcher (8 cups) a day. I could only get down 4 cups on Friday and finished the remaining 4 cups on Saturday. Saturday night, I made more but I decided to make it 4 cups at a time, still using a whole orange. Sunday morning, it had an orange smell that could knock your socks off and now a more orange bland water flavor without Splenda. I still added Splenda. Sunday morning, I had a really bad stomachache but I drank all 4 cups Sunday and made 4 more that night. I drank 4 more cups Monday and 4 cups Tuesday as well. Tuesday night, I had another really bad stomachache, but worse than the one on Sunday. Laying down made it worse so I didn't sleep much or well, for that matter. I haven't had any more and I WILL NOT have any more. On Wednesday, I woke feeling bad. I was achy all over and had a headache. When I tried to eat, the weird pain came back and I just fell awful. I got up at 10 but ended up going BACK to bed at noon because I felt so bad and slept til noon. That helped some but I just did not feel good all day. Tired. Achy. That weird pain. Yuck. I'm assuming the green tea isn't completely out of my system yet and I'm hoping the pain will stop when it's all out. I also had trouble falling asleep because of the caffeine. Thursday I didn't notice any pain but I had a headache.

I wondered if it was possible I had drank TOO much green tea? So what did do? Yep. I googled it. WebMD says drinking more than two cups a day can be harmful. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, consuming more than this amount has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and caffeine can pass through breast milk. Green tea can worsen anxiety, cause sleeping problems, and may contribute to heart problems. Drinking tea can cause kidney stones and can interact with certain medications. Tea reduces the absorption of non-heme iron (contributing to anemia) and vitamin B. It can weaken gums and irritate the lining of the stomach, causing indigestion and diarrhea. Drinking green tea increases pressure inside the eye. Drinking green tea can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. Increased blood calcium can cause osteoporosis.

So yes, drinking green tea in moderation can have some health benefits. But drinking too much can cause serious health problems. Some recommend one cups a day, some five cups, and other say 10 cups are okay in one day. So the verdict is still up in the air on exactly how much green tea is too much green tea. It can also vary from person to person. A person with irritable bowel syndrome shouldn't drink much, if any. A person with diabetes should limit their consumption.

Maybe someone should inform Dr. Oz. He's telling people to drink 8 cups every day! I have never liked Dr. Oz. He seems like a quack to me. This ordeal only confirmed that.

For me, 4 cups a day was way too much. I had consumed two and a half pitchers in five days. That's 160 ounces! That's almost five of the big one liter bottles of soda! No wonder I felt so crappy! I will probably never drink green tea again!

New Beginnings

Happy 2013!
This year has gone by so fast and now 2013 stands at our feet. I want this year to be full of new beginnings, mainly because I'm graduating college and it kinda has to be...

So Aaron and I have been discussing things. We have decided to get married when we originally wanted. We haven't told my parents yet but his parents were supportive when we mentioned it to them. I have decided to only apply to one PA school, MCG. After comparing it with Mercer and looking into it more, it truly is the best choice for us. MCG has their own online application so I won't have to worry about CASPA.

So now the official plan is to graduate in May. Aaron is going to get a job while I take four classes I'm missing and volunteer at the hospital. I need to tweak my personal statement. (Update: I don't think that they require a personal statement!) Then I'll take the GRE and get certified in CPR. I will apply to the MCG PA program in July. Interviews will take place between August and October and hopefully I will get one. Aaron and I will get married in November. Hooefully by then I will know if i was accepted or not. If I am, we will move in with family until PA school starts in May 2014. MCG has on campus housing for married students. If for some reason, I don't get accepted, then we will find somewhere to live on our own together and I will reapply.

This is going to be a very busy summer!

Continuing with new beginnings, let's talk resolutions. This year, I'm calling mine goals instead of New Year's Resolutions. I want to graduate Berry, take the GRE, and get accepted to PA school. I hope to walk closer with God and get married this year. I'm continuing to eat healthy. I started last summer and now I really have some motivation to keep going if we really do get married this year. Now I hope to reach my goal weight of 145lbs (before the wedding).